Aniket Rai
Donny van de Beek to face more competition for starts even in Paul Pogba leaves Manchester United
Speaking on the Transfer Window podcast (h/t Express), Duncan Castles stated that Manchester United would buy a replacement in case Paul Pogba leaves instead of trusting Donny van de Beek with starts.
Ian McGarry, on the same podcast, revealed that United signed the Dutch midfielder because they expected Pogba to leave. But that didn’t happen, and Van de Beek has had to make peace with warming the bench.
But Castles has mentioned that the Red Devils have a different idea in mind if Pogba was to leave next season. He said that Pogba wants to leave United and he wishes to join Real Madrid in Spain.
“Manchester United are looking for a new midfielder and they’re looking for a player who can play as a No 6 and also play as a box-to-box No 8. So if Pogba goes, there will be more competition for a place.”
No luck for Donny
United have been linked with Atletico Madrid’s midfield duo of Saul Niguez and Marcos Llorente. Both of them could be a good signing for the club if the former Juventus midfielder, whose contract expires in the summer of 2022, was to leave the club.
As for Van de Beek, it seems that he just can’t catch a break at United. But despite his treatment by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, Castles has said the midfielder will still wait until the end of the season to make a decision.
“It’s not the case, I’m told, that he’s actually gone and requested to leave the club. A decision is still to be made on his part over what the right thing is to do this summer.”
The 23-year-old has made just two league starts since his £40million move from Ajax last summer. It is clear that Solskjaer has preferred a midfield that does not accommodate Van de Beek yet.
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However, if Pogba does leave and the club fails to sign an adequate replacement for him, then selling a young and talented midfielder like van de Beek could come back and haunt the club in the future.
